Joshua

It’s been one hell of a day. If something could go wrong, it did. Spectacularly. My alarm didn’t go off, so I spent the entire morning racing the clock only to spill my coffee on a brand-new shirt and tie. The hours and hours of meetings were nothing more than a bunch of people digging in their heels and being stubborn about getting what they want instead of working together to do what’s best for the negotiations and merger. Lunch was gross. Dinner was worse. The only saving grace of the entire day was knowing that I could come back to my hotel at the end of it all and spend the rest of the night chatting with Teagan. That woman is a bright spot on the best of days. After the way today has gone, I’m craving her warmth the way an addict craves his next hit.

I slide my jacket off my shoulders and down my arms before draping it over the back of a chair. Typically, I’d stretch out in bed for our conversation, but I’m too keyed up to be that still. I prop my iPad up on the desk, pour myself a glass of scotch, and take a seat in the plush leather chair before initiating a call to Teagan. She answers quickly.

“There’s my beautiful girl.” And just like that, the troubles of the day fade away.

“Hey, you.” Teagan smiles, but her eyes are troubled.

Well, hell. So much for the fade to black on the anxiety. “Uh-oh.” I cock my head to the side. “What’s wrong?”

Teagan chews on her bottom lip and doesn’t answer immediately. It’s never a good sign when she’s quiet. When my unfiltered girl is trying to filter, it can only mean that something’s wrong. I take a small sip of my scotch and put the glass down, anxiety churning back to life in my stomach.

“So,” she begins. “I have something I have to tell you and it’s kind of messed up and I’m really afraid that it’s going to freak you out and I swear I didn’t do it on purpose.” Her eyes go wide. “Oh shit, I just realized that it’s going to look like I did this on purpose and … oh, God …”

“Teagan.” I’d put a finger to her lips if I could, but I can’t, so I just lean in close to the camera. “Hush now, doll face. Instead of worrying about how I’m going to take it, why don’t you just go ahead and tell me what’s happened, okay?” A dozen possible problems dance through my mind. Did she break something? Ruin the pool? Did her friend invite a bunch of people over for a party and they’ve trashed the place?

Teagan swallows hard. “Joshua… I’m…” She trails off.

“What is it, beautiful?”

“I’m pregnant.” She smiles, just a flash of beauty before worry swallows it up.

The entire world freezes and time stops. Pregnant? The word echoes in my mind.

Teagan nods. “Yeah,” she says and I realize I spoke the word out loud.

I let the thought spin around my head before it spirals down to my heart and sets my soul on fire. “You’re pregnant? With my baby?”

Teagan nods again. “Yeah. I’m so sorry Joshua…”

“Don’t you dare apologize.” I stand, too excited to sit still. “You’re pregnant?” I ask, leaning my hands on the table and staring at her face on my iPad.

“Yeah.” A slow smile spreads across her face. “You’re not mad?”

I drop into my chair, arms folded on the desk. “Mad? How could I be mad? The woman I love is carrying my child? How in the world could I be anything but ecstatic?”

“Because I’m too young. Because we barely know each other. Because you don’t want kids…” She trails off. “Wait. You love me?” Tears fill her eyes.

“Without a doubt. I fell in love with you that very first day and each day since has only made me fall deeper in love with you.”

“I love you, too. And from the first day. The first moment. And I should be terrified to be pregnant but I’m not. I’m ecstatic.”

“Damn it. Why am I here and you’re there? I need to hug you. To put my hands on your stomach and kiss you all over. I need to feel you, to celebrate this with you. I can’t be here while you’re there. It was bad enough before, but now?” I stand up again, carrying the iPad with me this time. “You’re pregnant? For real?”

“For real.” Teagan beams. “I was so afraid you’d be upset. It’s ridiculous that I’m so happy. I mean, I haven’t even graduated from college yet. I’m supposed to come rocketing out of my senior year with top honors so I’m totally marketable in the business world. But now, all I want to do is pour my heart into raising this baby. Does that make me tedious and weak?”

“Tedious and weak? Teagan. No. Not at all. Raising children is the most important thing a couple can do. I’ve wanted a family for so long. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into your dad’s office and stared at the pictures of you and your mom and wished I could be as lucky as he is. I made a choice early on to focus on my career and thought that meant I would have to sacrifice family. That I would be married to my job and the corporation would be my legacy. But now…? Here I am, listening to the woman I love telling me she loves me, too. That she wants to raise my child? Oh Teagan. I thought this day was the worst day in a long time but it’s turned out to be the best day of my life.”

“That makes me so happy, Joshua.” Teagan smiles and then scrunches up her nose, making those perfectly adorable freckles of hers dance. “I haven’t told my parents yet. I don’t know how to drop this one on them and I definitely didn’t want to do it without talking to you first.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing, baby doll. I’ll take care of everything. Just let me think on it a few days.”

“I love you so much.”

Her words stop me in my tracks. “Say it again.”

“I love you so much.”

“Again.”

“I love you, Mr. Joshua Kincaid.”

“Oh, sweet Teagan. I love you, too.”